Fourth Sunday of Easter

Music is from the Lutheran Book of Worship as well as other sources. Organ and Choral music leads the liturgy and hymns. Holy Communion is celebrated the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month.

Pastor Luisa Cabello Hansel, from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, our partner church in the Phillips Neighborhood, will talk with us about her experience in Latino Ministry, her current ministry at St. Paul’s along with her husband Pastor Patrick Cabello Hansel, and her responsibilities in overseeing Latino outreach for the Minneapolis Area Synod. Pastor Luisa wants to get to know us as well, and will facilitate a conversation about possibilities for our ministry of shared relationships.

Fourth Sunday of Easter

At Contemporary Worship the congregational songs are led by our contemporary choir, Voices of Praise, and instruments. The style is eclectic, drawing from folk, gospel and contemporary sources. Holy Communion is celebrated every week.

Third Tuesdays from 7-8 p.m. in the Fireside Gallery

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne. A story about two boys, one the son of a commandant in Hitler’s army and the other a Jew, who come face-to-face at a barbed wire fence that separates, and eventually intertwines their lives.

All Gethsemane members 75 years or older, together with their youthful spouses, will be honored by GCW at the annual Golden Age Luncheon on Thursday, April 17, at 11:30 a.m.

Jim Berner’s Senior Music Show will feature songs and stories behind the music of the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. Accompanied by a keyboard with the full band sound, guests will hear the sounds of Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, and Frankie Laine, all in one person.

Berner is one popular entertainer. His show was presented in about 150 senior centers in 2006 and 250 in 2007.

Click here to visit Jim Berner’s website

Gethsemane Family Ministry Group Presents

“Bee Movie”

Come and watch the movie on the big screen with friends and some popcorn!

When: Friday April 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Fellowship Hall
Who: Everyone is invited and bring a friend!

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Music is from the Lutheran Book of Worship as well as other sources. Organ and Choral music leads the liturgy and hymns. Holy Communion is celebrated the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month.

Join the Adult Forum on April 20 to hear “TESTIMONY TIME!…Sharing My Present Convictions Concerning a Christian Perspective on Homosexuality” presented by Pastor Lowell Erdahl.

Lowell O. Erdahl is the Bishop Emeritus of the St. Paul Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In addition to 12 years as a bishop, Erdahl served for 20 years as a parish pastor and spent five years on the faculty of Luther Seminary. He is a graduate of St. Olaf College, Luther Seminary, and Union Theological Seminary.

Following retirement as Bishop Pastor Erdahl served for 19 months as Interim Senior Pastor at Gethsemene. He has six books in print including “Winsome Wisdom: 366 Thoughts to Ponder & to Live” and “Sexual Fulfillment for Single and Married, Straight and Gay, Young and Old” (coauthored with Herbert Chilstrom) which will be available at the forum.

By invitation of the Hospitality Committee, Paul McKenzie and Tony Pollock attended the November meeting to talk about Gethsemane’s welcoming statement – especially as it pertains to GLBT issues (Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, Transgender). With the Hospitality committee’s blessing, HOSPITALITY PLUS was formed. A focus group met in January at the home of Carol and Howard Hanson to view a video and to begin a discussion of raising GLBT awareness.

The forum on April 20 is the first of several consciousness-raising events here at Gethsemane. Plan to attend and invite a friend.

Fifth Sunday of Easter

At Contemporary Worship the congregational songs are led by our contemporary choir, Voices of Praise, and instruments. The style is eclectic, drawing from folk, gospel and contemporary sources. Holy Communion is celebrated every week.

Bring out your best hat and gloves for the fourth annual Chapel View Tea Party held April 20 at 3 pm. This outreach event is open to the whole congregation – boys included. We are in need of entertainment for this event: piano, instrumental, vocal, poetry reading or dance numbers. If you have a talent to share or are interested in attending the tea party, please contact Tiphanie at 952-935-1753 or tiphanied@msn.com.

It is time to play again! Come join us at Gethsemane’s Fellowship Hall next Friday, April 25 from 9:30 to 11:30 am for Open Play. We will have the bouncy house, playdough, and of course coffee, milk and cookies. Invite your friends and have them join in on the fun!

Any questions please contact Tiphanie at 952-935-1753.

Once again, we are gearing up for the annual St. Grubby’s Day spring cleaning event. This year, we are going to try something a little different and clean on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday the 27th, 9am - 2pm. This way, we hope to give more people a chance to participate in cleaning, as well as attend the services, Adult Forum and other events on Sunday.

There will be snacks and coffee provided along with lunch, and childcare will be available both days. Look for the sign-up sheet and info in the Narthex, and remember to dress for the occasion – it is called St. Grubby’s Day for a reason!

Plymouth Singing Ambassadors, a mixed Chorus of 55 and older performs Golden Oldies, Broadway show tunes and other music to keep your toes tapping.

Once again, we are gearing up for the annual St. Grubby’s Day spring cleaning event. This year, we are going to try something a little different and clean on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday the 27th, 9am - 2pm. This way, we hope to give more people a chance to participate in cleaning, as well as attend the services, Adult Forum and other events on Sunday.

There will be snacks and coffee provided along with lunch, and childcare will be available both days. Look for the sign-up sheet and info in the Narthex, and remember to dress for the occasion – it is called St. Grubby’s Day for a reason!

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Music is from the Lutheran Book of Worship as well as other sources. Organ and Choral music leads the liturgy and hymns. Holy Communion is celebrated the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month.

Participants from the recent Katrina Mission Trip will give a presentation during Adult Forum. Click here to see a slide show of the mission trip.

Blessings abound for each of the Katrina mission participants, who went to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, February 23 to March 1, 2008.

What a blessing it was to be called by God to join 15 other people from Gethsemane to hurricane-ravaged Mississippi! Thank God also for the leadership of Fred and Sue Hedberg. Our presence and work there provided witness to God’s love and care for people who are struggling to recover from Katrina. From the beginning, it was the volunteers who brought hope.

What a fellowship we had: 15 people living, working, laughing, eating, sleeping, worshiping and centering on being God’s servants in that place. We made close connections to one another that follow us back to Gethsemane.

What a wonderful God we have that provided each of us with jobs we could do. It varied from day to day and hour to hour. Some worked from tall scaffolding, and others brought supplies to them. Some used electrical tools and others wielded a paint brush or a hammer. One day shoveling dirt was a priority. We had guidance to learn new things as well as a chance to use skills already known.

What memories: meeting talented, Christian dedicated young adults, who were working as long-term crew leaders at little or no pay; hearing the young mom say “it is beginning to hit me” when the kitchen cupboards were delivered to the blitz built house; seeing the grandmother gasp and tear when she saw the flooring and the ceiling fan we’d installed. Another soon-to-be Habitat owner said she was amazed by the number of people from churches across the United States that keep coming to help. She is so grateful.

What a worshipful experience we had in a predominately black church with Gospel singing at a service that included teenagers giving historical portraits of their ancestors who could serve as role models. After worship as we toured New Orleans on Sunday afternoon, we saw the contrast between the still devastated Ninth Ward and the revived French Quarter. God’s work isn’t done.

Come to the Adult Forum on Sunday, April 27. Hear more experiences. See pictures. Ask questions. See you then.

Sixth Sunday of Easter

At Contemporary Worship the congregational songs are led by our contemporary choir, Voices of Praise, and instruments. The style is eclectic, drawing from folk, gospel and contemporary sources. Holy Communion is celebrated every week.

All are welcome to attend this open meeting. Our Social Ministry Team meets four times each year with a focus on providing opportunities for members of all ages to put their faith into action. New ideas and suggestions are always welcome.

If you have an interest in how Gethsemane responds to the needs of our community and beyond, come and join the discussion. Come and get involved in creating solutions!

If your child is not in Sunday school yet, this program is for you! On the last Wednesday of each month we get together for intentional age-appropriate spiritual play and sharing for parents and their children under the age of three.

Discussions and play will be based off Splash!, a quarterly mailing that parents of children 0-36 months receive as part of our ministry to children.

The April meeting will be Wednesday, April 30 at 6:30 pm in the Nursery. (Note the time change.) A family meal is available in Fellowship Hall at 5:30. If you and your child would like to attend, please sign up by calling or emailing the church office at 952-935-1753 or tiphanied@msn.com. If you have any questions please call Tiphanie at 952-935-1753 ext. 115.

This is the first of several opportunities to begin the discussion of what the next steps of our journey together at Gethsemane might be. We will take some time to get to know one another, learn what you are passionate about, and begin the discussion of where we think God is leading us together. Sign up by contacting the church office at 952-935-1753. We hope to keep the group to the first 30 who sign up. Many more opportunities will come in the future.

On May 2, Family Ministry Group gathered for a service project that brought a little sunshine into the lives of some Gethsemane members. We planted flowers to deliver to Gethsemane’s homebound members.
Click here to see a slideshow from this event.

Seventh Sunday of Easter

Music is from the Lutheran Book of Worship as well as other sources. Organ and Choral music leads the liturgy and hymns. Holy Communion is celebrated every Sunday.

Seventh Sunday of Easter

At Contemporary Worship the congregational songs are led by our contemporary choir, Voices of Praise, and instruments. The style is eclectic, drawing from folk, gospel and contemporary sources. Holy Communion is celebrated every week.

A hot breakfast will be served in the Fellowship Hall with a $6 contribution expected. The speaker will be Mike Pehrson, founder and director of “His Clay Ministries.” Mike played baseball for the U of M Minnesota Gophers and has been heavily involved with the “Potter’s Wheel” leadership program at Hosanna Lutheran Church. His topic will be “Men in Today’s World.” If you are planning on attending, please sign up in the Sunday Friendship Folder or call the church office at 952-935-1753.

Click here to visit the His Clay website

Click here to listen to Mike Pehrson’s presentation

Please join the Sunday school children between services on May 11 for an Ice Cream Social to celebrate the children’s last day of Sunday school. Ice cream will be served in Gethsemane’s Garden.

The percent of the U.S. population that is foreign born is now at levels not seen since early in the 20th century. Immigration is a timely issue that relates to Gethsemane’s outreach to the Latino community in our area. Two Adult Forums will address the legal and biblical positions that surround immigration and who gains and loses in an economic sense.

On May 11 attorney Colleen Beebe will speak on the topic of “Immigration and the Law.” On May 18 Bob Shebeck will speak on the topic of “The Economics of Immigration.” There are many misperceptions in both of these areas. Join the discussion; plan to attend and invite a friend.

Day of Pentacost

At Contemporary Worship the congregational songs are led by our contemporary choir, Voices of Praise, and instruments. The style is eclectic, drawing from folk, gospel and contemporary sources. Holy Communion is celebrated every week.